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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

And I thought I hated Bill O’ Reilly! Wow!

Boston-based rap group East Coast Avengers hates Billo just a tad more than I do

by Larry SimonsAugust 27, 2008

I will admit, there have been dozens of times where I have heard the news of a celebrity’s death (such as George Carlin or Tim Russert) and said to myself, “Why couldn’t that have been Dick Cheney, Henry Kissinger or David Rockefeller?” I don’t think it’s a big sin to wish someone evil dies, but to actually promote the willful assassination of someone you just don’t like? That’s too radical even for me.

God knows I hate Bill O’ Reilly. But, to want him killed? No. I don’t go that far. I’m not the CIA. If Billo were killed, would I shed a tear? Of course not. But, that’s far from the same thing as wanting someone to murder him. Unlike Billo himself, I believe in free speech, even when the speech comes from Bill O’ Reilly. I disagree profoundly with 99.9% of what he spouts off, but I will fight wholeheartedly for his right to say it.

The rap group East Coast Avengers doesn’t share my views. They want Billo dead. With their proclamation to “Kill Bill O’ Reilly” (which happens to be the title of their song), not only are they threatening the man, but at the same time being hypocritical for the mere fact that Billo himself has wished death on others on numerous occasions.

On the July 11, 2006 telecast of “The O’ Reilly Factor”, Billo wished for the death of 9/11 truther and professor Kevin Barrett when he said this: “This guy would have been gone at Boston University, my alma mater, in a heartbeat. The Chancellor there, John Silber, would have--would have--this guy'd be in the Charles River floating down, you know, toward the harbor.”

On the February 19, 2008 airing of Billo’s radio show, Billo wished for the death of Michelle Obama (wife of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama), when he said this: “I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence.” [the key word being “unless”]

On the August 19, 2008 telecast of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, ECA earned the silver on the Worst Person in the World segment. Olbermann stated, “Our runners up, the rap group East Coast Avengers. One of their new pick-to-click songs is entitled Kill Bill O'Reilly. Sampling it, as the kiddos say, you will find lyrics that call him a chickenhawk, a lying coward, a sexist, a racist, and a whore who, quote, needs a facelift [end quote]. But the song also calls for him to be, quote, hanged like Benito Mussolini [end quote], and otherwise killed. Gentlemen, I'm the last person to disagree with you on the chickenhawk, lying coward, sexist, racist, needs a facelift, whore stuff... but you really need to re-cut this stuff. Nobody's life should be threatened, not even in the hyperbole of the moment. Besides, you are rappers; you have better ethics than Bill O'Reilly does. Live up to them; don't live down to him. Word to your mother.”

I have posted the song “Kill Bill O’ Reilly” not as a promotion or endorsement of the song, but only as evidence that the song does exist for any would-be skeptics out there that might think this is made up.

Let’s make one thing clear: I do NOT endorse anyone being killed. Even the most vile, despicable human beings have the right to practice free speech without being threatened with violence or worse, death.

One thing I found myself surprised over is the fact that despite ECA’s album being titled “Prison Planet”, no Neocon attack dog (to my knowledge) has made any reference or attempt to connect the album’s title with Alex Jones’ website of the same name. Sometimes the attack dogs are slow, so I’m not ruling the possibility of this happening in the near future completely out.

My message to East Coast Avengers is this: Don’t become Bill O’ Reilly in order to express your condemnation of the man. This is what the Neocons do. They threaten to kill people. You’re no different than the Glenn Beck’s, the Sean Hannity’s and the Bill O Reilly’s of the world when you threaten someone’s life. You should apologize and can the song….you know, something Billo wouldn’t do (and has not done) when he has threatened others”